Category Archives: Air Conditioning Repair

Air conditioner heat exchanger pumps and compressors may sink over time which puts a stress on the coolant lines. While most of us would simply call in for air conditioner service, here are some tips on DIY air conditioner repair.

As said earlier, concrete pads under the AC tend to settle down with time. As long as they don’t interfere with the coolant lines and lets the AC stay dry, it’s OK. However, if you notice that the concrete pad has sunk and is pulling the coolant lines tight, and water accumulates around the unit, you need to get it repaired as soon as possible.

Lift the pad at one end with a board and put some sand underneath it. Do the same to the other end to make the pad level. It is important that you lift the pad slowly and carefully because there are high tendencies for it to crack or break. The good thing about it is that you need not remove or unhook the AC for this process. However, if you happen to break the pad, have an air conditioner service technician repair it for you.

Replacing old AC pad:

If you are considering a replacement for your old AC pad, it is best to go for a plastic one. They are easily available in stores and also online. You can do the replacement yourself, or can call in an AC repair technician to do it for you.

While hiring an AC repair technician, it is important that you choose a service that has enough experience in handling this type of job. Although, replacing an AC pad is not a big job, if done unprofessionally, it can cause a great deal trouble in the future.

Every house today has heating, ventilating and air conditioning ducts that help us to facilitate a healthier and happy living. However, sometimes, you might experience leaky ducts which may go unnoticed, but you may see a huge energy bill increase. While some take little or no effort to rectify, others may want to call in an air conditioner repair technician to do the job for them.

When cool or heated air escapes from your duct (irrespective of the quantity) the air conditioner has to work longer to patch up the required thermostat temperature. Since this scene happens in the attic or the basement, very few people notice the issue. However, the increased running of the A/C increases the electrical consumption which leads to a higher energy bill.

The only way to overcome this problem is to seal the leaky joints. Sealing leaky joints is extremely effortless and requires no air conditioner service at all. All you need to do is to buy silicone caulk (aluminum-colored) and close each joint in your duct system. Make sure that the joints are cleaned first with the help of a cleaning spray solution. Make sure you seal every branching duct. Once done you need to use a high temperature capability UL181 aluminum foil tape and wrap them around the joint.

Why not use any regular duct tape?

Well, a lot of people will have this question in mind, as regular duct tape is a simple and easy household solution. However, there are reasons why they are not preferred. First off, the regular duct tape is not approved for sealing a duct professionally and it does not last well in the long run. Hence, it is always advisable to go for professional UL181 aluminum foil tape that can not only seal your duct joints really well, but can save you a great deal of cash on your energy bills.

Yet another common problem as well as an important air conditioner repair is rotten insulation of your AC. It does not matter how well you keep your AC, with time, your insulation will wear down and this calls for an air conditioner repair or replacement. However, air conditioner repair need not always be called in from outside, if you can do it yourself. Fixing this problem is simple and here is how you do it in two simple steps.

STEP 1: it is the condensation on your AC lines that withers the insulation. This also means that your energy bills have been increasing for some time now. Hence, you need to install new insulation now and the first step is to peel off the old one. Once done, you need to measure the diameter of the two tubes. Take the measurement of the larger tube as the skinny one will not need insulation.

STEP 2: Carefully measure the entire length of the AC line and cut the insulation accordingly. Cut a few inches longer, in case you need extra. Now place the foam over the tube or wire and remove the adhesive liner. Carefully press the seam together as you go, as once you have glued them together, it’s difficult to take them apart.

NOTE: Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to find the right insulation for your AC repair at any regular hardware store. That’s why you need to contact a refrigeration supply service or buy them from an online supplier. You may also contact your manufacturer to determine the right kind of insulation needed for your particular brand.

Replacing rotten insulation is now easy than ever but if you do not feel comfortable doing the work yourself, or you do not have the time, you can always call an air conditioner service to do the job for you.

A split AC usually does not require additional evaporator coils, as the unit is divided into two parts. The outside piece consists of the condenser and the compressor, while the inside unit contains the evaporator. Since the front part is the main supply duct of your house, additional coils will create more damage to the system than produce cold air. However, you could add evaporator coils at the termination point of the duct.

Here is a simple DIY air conditioner repair method on how you could add an additional evaporator coil:

Since installing additional evaporator coils requires you to open up your room walls, it is advised that you carefully analyze the plan of your house and see which ducts are best for alteration. A split AC has the same duct as that of your heating system, so you will be connecting the coils to the warm air supply system.

You might need to disconnect the pipe at a bend or valve and place the evaporator coil in its position. You may also need to cut down a section of the pipe to ensure proper fitting of the coil. Once you have the coil in place, screw it into position. Make sure you have all the wires outside of the coil.

To connect the coil to the main evaporator coil, you need enough wire to reach the main coil. Once done, you need to find the wire that gives power to the main coil, and the connection that controls the cool air. Once you find this, join the main power supply wire and the new evaporator coil wire so that both coils run from the same source.

After this, you need to give a test run to make sure all is well. Leave the system running for two hours so that you can be sure it is functioning properly. When satisfied, you can wrap some pipe tape around the coil edges and close up the wall.

Although, most people would call in an air conditioner repair service, it’s not needed always. A little effort on your side and some basic tools will help you to do it yourself and avoid costly AC repair.

It goes without saying that one of the most important DIY air conditioner repair jobs is cleaning the AC ducts from time to time. Although, air conditioner ducts are hidden from view, they play a significant role in supplying fresh air to your home and removing pollutants from the air.

Reasons Behind AC Duct Blockage

AC ducts collect dust from your shoes, clothes, pets, dead skin and particles in the air like cigarette smoke. Collected dust can cut down the air flow significantly and this will result in moisture developing in your duct walls, which creates a perfect growing environment for mold.

For first timers who attempt an air conditioner repair, opening up the ducts can be a startling experience because the amount of accumulated dust is usually beyond their wildest imaginations.

Blocked duct not only affect the airflow but it also poses serious health problems. There is only one place for the accumulated dirt to settle: your lungs. AC ducts that are not cleaned for several years can damage your health and can result in developing serious breathing disorders. People with severe allergies should not attempt to clean their own duct work.

How Duct Cleaning Is Done

This DIY air conditioner repair task can be done with your home vacuum cleaner or by Brisbane air conditioning service, among others. Make sure that you open all the windows and doors in your home prior to cleaning the AC ducts. If you notice mold build up on the walls, it is recommended to use an antifungal cleaning solution that not only eliminates mold growth but can prevent future growths.

If the AC ducts are really long and your home vacuum cleaner can’t reach all the nook and corner, a DIY air conditioner repair may not be a good idea. You will need an HVAC industry specific AC duct cleaner to remove debris from your ducts.

The same goes for AC ducts that are made with materials such as fiberglass. Specialty tools are needed to clean duct work that are made with unique materials.

If you find out that your air conditioner ducts can’t be cleaned with your vacuum, consider hiring some repair service company like the air duct cleaning in Kansas City to get the job done.

There are many possible things that can go wrong with an air conditioner, and most of them will require an air conditioner repair technician to service the unit, the wiring, or the thermostat.

While there are many items that can potentially happen to an air conditioning unit, there are some problems that are a lot more common than others. Knowing these problems can make it simpler to prevent them, since many of the most common problems really stem from a handful of issues… some of them being preventable. However, this knowledge can also give you an advantage when trying to communicate the problem to your certified air conditioner repair technician; HVAC repair personnel can often diagnose a problem right over the phone if you can give them enough information.

Faulty wiring is often causes hugs problems. This can be prevented by having your wiring inspected each year by an air conditioner repair company. If your unit does not seem to be putting out cold air, you may be low on refrigerant; and this is usually a pretty simple fix.

Another problem that air conditioner repair technicians run into is that the fans are not spinning. This means that air will not circulate. Air conditioner service is definitely in order if this is one of your problems.

Sometimes, your air conditioner coil will freeze up, which can really play havoc with your system. An air conditioner repair tech will not only have to thaw out the coil, but will also have to find out what caused the problem in the first place. A dirty filter (especially if you have pets or other animals) can really contribute to this problem, so making sure that you have a clean filter installed can help to prevent this problem from occurring.

One thing that remain true for air conditioner repair or any other maintenance task is that if you don’t hire the right person the first time, the problems will only get worse and end up costing more money in the end. Many customers simply Google and call the first air conditioner repair company for a quote, but making a blind, uniformed decision about a provider can help a mistake!

Customer Feedbacks, Ratings and Testimonials

The moment we find out that our AC is not working properly, our first impulse is to call a random air conditioner repair provider and schedule an appointment. Slow down and take a few minutes and read the company’s online feedback, ratings and customer testimonials.

Although, customer feedback and ratings can’t guarantee you’ll be satisfied with the experience, it can be a true reflection of the air conditioner repair company’s professionalism, experience and customer assistance.

Credentials and Experience

Most states in the US require an air conditioner repair company to have certifications to validate their eligibility. This not only ensures that the person you hire is technically trained to perform the repair, but it is also needed for the provider to secure insurance.

The next step is verifying the experience of the air conditioner repair technician. Ask them questions to reassure that they can repair your AC unit. Customers usually face two issues when verifying experience: first, servicemen that know to work on old air conditioners but do not have the same level of knowledge on modern machines and the second, ACs with peculiar designs that are not popular in the market.

These are challenging but manageable obstacles for an experienced air conditioner repair agency. However, for the inexperienced and the semi-experienced, they are too big of a problem.

Guarantee, Follow Ups and Communication

Air conditioner repair is an expensive line item. To make sure that your investment is worthwhile, you need a guarantee from the company that states all the repairs carried out are guaranteed for a certain amount of time. Air conditioners need periodic inspections, if you are happy with your provider ask them about a maintenance contract for annual check-ups.